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Delaware Valley To Get Great View Of Orionid Meteor Shower This Weekend

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Stargazers, get ready to be dazzled by one of this year's most "out of this world" shows: the Orionid meteor shower.

The Orionids will peak this weekend with the best viewing from Oct. 20-22, between the hours of midnight and dawn, across the Delaware Valley. The vaporizing bits of comet ice and dust originate from Halley's Comet.

Eyewitness News attended a 'Star Party" organized by the South Jersey Astronomy Club on Friday night.

The lack of visible moon and humidity has created near perfect condition to catch the Orionid meteor shower this weekend, a spectacle caused by debris left behind from Halley's Comet.

"I've been here since Monday. We don't get five dark nights here in Jersey so I took advantage of it," said amateur astronomer, Rich Dudek.

It is also a showcase that is prime for socializing, as high powered telescopes take center stage before nightfall.

"He went up into his attic and he found it!" said attendee Cheyanne Rickabaugh.

Rickabaugh is a student at Rowan University. Her grandfather hooked her up with a telescope.

"It was worth it to take a couple days off as we are members of the club… we're the youngest members in the club," she said with a giggle.

FULL FORECAST

This year's show promises to be extra-beautiful for a couple of reasons: First, moonlight will not inhibit the beautiful show. In fact, the first-quarter moon will have already set. Second, high pressure will promote fantastic viewing weather with mostly clear skies and light winds through the weekend in the mid-Atlantic. And, as long as you can get as far away from city lights as possible, light pollution will not get in the way of your sky-watching pleasure.

Bundle up, sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

 

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